Throwback the Fish
by Caramelapple27
Summary: Brown Eyed Girl Tag about Lisbon thinking over the decision to go to D.C. with Pike and a much needed conversation.


Throwback the Fish

 **I started a tag to Brown Eyed Girls when I watched this episode recently. I didn't discover Mentalist Fan Fiction until after Blue Bird aired so I never got to write for the sixth season episodes except for Blue Bird. I noticed and read the recent tags for IL Tavalo Bianco by Mayzee and Idan. I was inspired by them to decide to go ahead and finish my Brown Eyed Girls one while I was having a little writer's block with my other story. I guess this is an alternate ending for Brown Eyed Girls. I do have some Pike in this tag so I apologize for that.**

 **Disclaimer:Don't Own Anything**

Lisbon and Pike went towards Pike's car after coming from the hospital after visiting Daniella with Jane. During that time she revealed to Jane of Pike's promotion to D.C. and that he asked her to go with him. His reaction consisted of him struggling to respond and ended up telling her congratulation. She could see within that space he was confused and sad, but tried to hide his obvious sadness to the news. As she looked back, when she left with Pike, she could see Jane struggling with the idea of her leaving. Lisbon still didn't know what Jane thought of her possibly leaving to D.C. He probably wasn't happy about it, but she needed to hear that from him. She didn't know what she herself thought about possibly leaving to D.C. When Marcus Pike announced it at dinner one night, she was shocked, bewildered that he wanted her to go with him to Washington D.C. It wasn't a decision she could just make just like that. She had to think it over because it was such a huge decision to move. She thought her time with Pike was supposed to be fun, uncomplicated, simple. Since he dropped his bombshell of his promotion and on top of that, asking her to go with him, it turned to be more complicated than expected.. They barely knew each other and he expected her to just follow him. Sure, she liked him, but was it enough to leave to D.C.?She didn't know and on top of that, she had to think about what Jane would think. Why should she care? She could make her own decisions. She already told him that fateful plane ride, she didn't want him to control her life.

But why was she still feeling guilty? She saw the look on his face, the sadness after she shared her news. He tried to hide and lie behind his words that he was happy. "If you're happy, I'm happy.". What did that even mean? She recalled the moment they reunited in the conference room, he was filled with pure joy and excitement to see her and his extreme excitement over her bringing a simple thing as socks. She was thinking that he would telling her something soon, but she kept waiting and waiting for him until the art case. When Marcus Pike gave attention to her, she responded immediately. She thought it was good to have some male attention she could figure out rather than guess what Jane meant with his actions. When Pike invited her for pancakes, she saw Jane's face of disappointment hidden immediately. She couldn't worry about him. She needed to have a life on her own, not being his sidekick. Ever since the fateful pancake date, she had enjoyed Pike's company, but now she was confused. Was she really ready to move on with Marcus Pike?

"It's a pretty sad case you guys are working on?" Pike asked interrupting her thoughts. She instantly tried to concentrate on Pike.

"Yeah, the girl wants us to find her sister so badly." Lisbon responded still a little distracted.

"Let's go forget about the case for a while. The band is great!" Pike said happily changing the subject. It was good to think about their date. She enjoyed being with him because he was nice and thoughtful. He told her she looked good and he was honest and said what he meant.

"Sure." Lisbon said half-heartedly. She was trying to be excited for him.

She and Pike stepped inside his car. She snapped the seat belt on and Pike snapped on his in the driver's side. She didn't feel like talking too much. She had to admit she was exhausted from the case and also trying to figure out Jane's reaction. Again, she was thinking about Jane. Pike noticed her quietness on the way to the concert.

"Pretty lucky Jane knew something was fishy with that guy." Pike said keeping his eyes on the road turning left.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry for not going then. You never know when Jane has a hunch." Lisbon admitted remembering the night. She knew she shouldn't have been so awful to Jane. How was he supposed to know she was on a date? She felt guilty about being so aggressive toward him that night. It wasn't right to be so snippy. He only called her about the suspicious man keeping the girl. Jane tried to calm the girl as she laid there dying and all she cared about just a couple minutes before that time was having her date interrupted. She could imagine him now thinking of Charlotte as the girl was close to the age Charlotte would be if she lived. They finally arrived at the concert venue and Pike led her in. "This is it. You excited?" Pike asked grinning.

"Sure, are you really not going to go on stage to sing?" Lisbon asked teasingly trying to focus her thoughts on Pike.

Pike laughed."I don't know. Tomatoes may be flying if I do." Pike grinned. "Come on." Pike said taking her hand leading her into the bar and up close to the stage where his friends would be playing their show.

During the show, Lisbon couldn't concentrate. All she could think about was the look on Jane's face. The sadness of her possibly leaving, though he tried to hide it. He must feel something for or he at least doesn't want to lose her as basically his only friend. It was frustrating to her that he didn't have much to say about Pike's offer. She tried to get back to the thoughts of the concert and Pike looking at him. He looked at her. "Teresa, are you doing alright?" Pike asked noticing her quietness again.

"I'm just tired." Lisbon admitted. "They're good." Lisbon said looking up stage to the band playing.

"Do you want to leave?" Pike asked looking at her again.

"No, it's okay." Lisbon lied. He was such a nice guy. He gave her attention. She really was trying to enjoy being with him. She needed to concentrate on him. She tried to enjoy the rest of the show while she saw Pike enjoy it. Finally, after a couple of hours at the concert, Pike and Lisbon finally left the building. "So, do you want to go to my place?" Pike asked.

"I just want to go home and relax. I'm too tired, Marcus. I'm sorry." Lisbon admitted.

"Alright, Teresa. I'll drop you off at your house." Pike said as he drove through the streets and finally through Lisbon's neighborhood and finally he pulled in her driveway. "Well, Teresa. See you tomorrow?" Pike asked hopeful. He gave her a quick peck on the lips. She gave a smile. "Sure, of course." Lisbon answered.

As soon as Pike dropped her off at her house, she went inside just to show she was going into the house. She waited a few minutes after Pike left to make sure he was staying away for good. She decided to get some answers and so she headed to the place she needed to be. She got into her car and she wandered around town. She was trying to think possibly where Jane kept his Airstream. She drove by the FBI office in case he was parking it there. She then drove to the trailer park. She drove through finally finding the Silver Bucket. It was quite late so she wasn't sure if Jane was even up. Most likely he would be, considering his insomnia over the years. She parked her car in front of the trailer and got out and walked straight to the door and knocked. She made sure she didn't wake anybody up. She waited a few seconds. Maybe he didn't hear her knock. Maybe he was sleeping. The door opened revealing Jane with rolled sleeves and still in his pants and his hair sticking up as if he was laying on it.

"Lisbon, what are you doing here? You aren't enjoying Pike's lovely company." Jane responded snidely.

"He went home." Lisbon said. "I want a real answer from you." Lisbon looked at Jane carefully. His eyes looked red and swollen. Nothing like she'd seen before with Jane's face. Like he was crying? Usually he was good at hiding his emotions. Of course, he didn't expect her to come.

"What answer?" Jane questioned putting his hand on the top of the door.

"About what you really think of me possibly going to D.C." Lisbon stated. "I was thinking I might have been a little rude tonight."

"You were fine." Jane said. She knew Jane needed to answer her question with the two of them alone rather than Pike waiting for her around the corner. Why didn't she figured that out then? Any idiot would've known this sort of conversation was better said privately. She was too caught up in Pike's offer then. How could she think Jane knew about it? When Abbott questioned her about the job she acted unlike herself. What kind of person did she turn into? Being rude to her friend of years.

Jane looked at her again carefully. "Okay, fine, this answer's going to take longer than standing in the doorway. Would you like to come in?" He stepped inside the trailer and turned on a light. She walked up the step. She didn't know how to respond to Jane's choice in getting the Airstream. It wasn't a home that screamed stability or commitment but he seemed proud of it. She had to give him credit that it was far better than the CBI attic. She found the booth and took a seat. Jane sat across from her. "Am I disturbing you?"Lisbon asked remembering it was very late. "I could come later."

"I always welcome you, Lisbon." Jane grinned. "Even at 1:00A.M." Jane said looking at his watch.

"This isn't as bad as I thought. It's quite cozy." Lisbon admitted looking around the trailer. "Better than the CBI attic." She added.

"You were in it yesterday." Jane reminded.

"I just didn't notice the back." Lisbon said.

"You didn't just come to make small talk."Jane said. "You wanted me to answer your question."

"No, I didn't. Are you really happy because I'm happy?" Lisbon asked remembering his reply of her offer to go with Pike in D.C.

"Lisbon, I want you to be happy. If you're happy with the possibility of D.C., well then I'm happy." Jane said smiling half-heartedly. He looked like he was going to cry again and she didn't expect that. He was without her two years, certainly he did okay then. Lisbon didn't like this "I'm happy if you're happy" crap Jane was pulling. She wanted a straight answer of how he really felt about the situation. She knew he felt some love for her. She wasn't sure if it was friendship love or if there was something more. His letters he sent seemed to send another message. Possibly a hidden meaning behind them, not just missing a friend. She had loved Jane a long time and she didn't know when he would be ready to move on completely from his wife. He was still wearing the ring, so she knew he was still stuck. She couldn't wait forever. She needed to make some sort of decision regarding D.C. If Jane could just say what he felt. She loved him but Marcus was easy and simple to understand. He told what he felt and meant. Jane was a whole another story. She felt good with Marcus but she wasn't sure it was love.

"Let's do this another way without purely thinking specifically about my happiness. What is your idea of your happiness? How do you really feel about me?" Lisbon questioned hoping Jane would see her point.

Jane took time thinking about Lisbon's question. Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than Lisbon staying in Austin with him. He didn't know exactly know how to tell her how he felt. He realized after working together with her he had fallen in love with her. It was slowly, but it still happened. He knew he couldn't do anything about until after Red John was gone. The serial killer already suspected there were feelings there, and so he didn't want to make it worse. He didn't want to find Lisbon dead. It scared him to death when he found her with the smiley face on her own face. Since, she met Pike, he thought she would be better with Pike. It pained him of course seeing her with him, but she was happy, unlike all the times he caused her to be unhappy. She deserved a good man such as him, instead of a selfish, broken man like himself. She didn't need him controlling her life like she said on the plane. He wanted her to make her own choice in the matter. Lisbon wanted an answer from him. He thought that the idea of putting another person's happiness over their happiness said a lot.

"Of course, I don't want you to leave. I'll miss you deeply." Jane said starting to get teary eyed. "It's your choice if you want to go. I'm not going to control your life. You've been invested in my goal for so long that you didn't concentrate on your happiness."

"It was still mine and the team's goal to find him anyway, even before you walked in the CBI." Lisbon admitted. "But that doesn't mean I don't want your opinion." Lisbon stated seriously. "Above all you're my friend, I want to know, what is your opinion of me going to D.C.?"

"Like I just said, I don't want you to go, but if you want to go you can go. I will learn to deal with it." Jane said sadly looking at her.

"I don't know if I want to go to D.C. yet."Lisbon admitted telling the truth. "Marcus just dropped it on me just like that. Why don't you want me to go? Is it because I'm your friend you'll miss, your partner, your sidekick?"

"Teresa, you're more to me than a sidekick. I know I somehow made you believe you were just that. You're the most important person in my life." Jane finally said. "You've helped me so much with becoming a better person, or at least tempting to be one. "

Lisbon looked at him still not sure what he meant. "Why?"

"Isn't telling you that enough?" Jane questioned. How much details could he go into?

"Tell me why?" Lisbon questioned.

Jane cleared his throat preparing his answer. He was scared of himself. He loved Teresa Lisbon, he had for years. The person preventing from him confessing how he felt to her was gone. They had been back together working for months since he came back from his island. Why didn't he say anything earlier? In a way, he still wasn't ready to move on? But if he didn't say anything, Lisbon would be going away to D.C. with Marcus Pike. Was it too late to say anything now? He thought his feelings were clear coming back for her. Words were what she wanted and what he needed instead. Showing it wasn't enough. Pike's words seemed to work on her, so he needed to give her his words. His confession of what he truly felt. He hadn't said those three words in years because to be honest, he never thought he could find love again after Angela but then he met Teresa Lisbon. Could he do it again? Was he strong enough?

"Jane?" Lisbon asked raising her eyebrow expecting an answer.

"Teresa, it may be too late for what I want to say. I don't want to ruin your happiness with Pike." Jane said. "You've been so happy with him lately and I don't want to mess it up for you."

"Just say it!" Lisbon exclaimed getting annoyed with Jane stalling his answer.

"You're the most important person for me because I love you." Jane finally said breathing a sigh of relief. "In love with you. I don't know when it happened or how exactly. On the island, I did a lot of thinking about Angela and Charlotte, but then most of my thinking went to you."

Lisbon didn't know how to react. She was right. He did have feelings. All these years he could've said something. "Why didn't you say anything before now? You've had months, even years. Red John has been gone two years. We've been back together working for months."

"Circumstances didn't exactly allow me to with you know who and other times." Jane confessed.

"You've had time." Lisbon reminded.

"It seems we hardly see each other anymore. I end up going with Fischer all the time and I haven't had a chance." Jane explained.

"I do have a phone." Lisbon reminded.

"And then Pike swept you off your feet." Jane said realizing that came out more rude than intended.

"That's still not an excuse not to say anything." Lisbon stated looking at him seriously.

"And frankly I'm scared." Jane said honestly.

"Of what? Of me?" Lisbon questioned.

"I'm not good with a confession like this, of being open. It scares me to death the idea of anyone getting close to me." Jane admitted. "I haven't truthfully said those words for years or really deeply, meaning those words."

"It's me, Jane. You shouldn't be scared to say anything to me." Lisbon pointed to herself and then she took his hand. "You can always say something to me. I know I've been distracted lately, but that doesn't mean you can't call me. I shouldn't have been so rude to you when you called about finding the girl."

"That's what makes it even more scary. I love you so much, it scares me." Jane admitted.

Lisbon took a minute to think. Did she really want to leave? She didn't know how Jane would do without her. She wasn't sure how she would do without him. He just confessed his love to her. Why did her choice just become harder? She knew what she had to do. Marcus Pike was a good catch that certainly was true, but he wasn't her catch she realized. Her real catch was sitting across from her. Jane wasn't perfect and she wasn't either. They both had tragic pasts and they had been through so much together. She couldn't sever his hold he had on her no matter what. Pike needed to be with someone that could really appreciate interests and could love him fully without having to pretend. She realized all she was doing was pretending, putting on camouflage. Tomorrow she would let him go to be released from her commitment.

"This makes my decision easier." Lisbon said breathing a sigh of relief that Jane wanted her to stay because he loved her.

"Don't you mean harder?" Jane questioned. "You have two men vying for your love you just learned."

"There's no question which man I actually love." Lisbon smirked.

"That would be Agent Pike." Jane said sadly he couldn't compare to the perfect agent. "Perfect and honest."

"No, that would be you. Sure, Pike's nice and all, but he's not you." Lisbon admitted. She loved the annoying, pain in the butt consultant who caused her constant grief. But he always made her feel good, happy and brought fun into her life.

"Are you sure?" Jane questioned.

"Yes, I'm sure. I didn't really want to go to D.C. I'm just now getting settled into Austin. Do I really want to move again? Go with a man I barely know? I don't love him. I can't lie to myself and convince myself that I do. It's not fair to him, me, or you." Lisbon said. "I'm sorry I've been so rude to you the past couple of days. You haven't done anything wrong."

"I probably deserve it. You should get back at me for how I treated you in the past." Jane admitted.

"You apologized in the letters. Like you said, it's in the past. You're different now." Lisbon said.

"So, you're still not going to leave?" Jane asked again.

"Of course not, I love you." Lisbon finally said smiling. "So, now what do we do now that we cleared up some things?"

"Well, my male instinct is telling me to kiss you." Jane said grinning.

"Go ahead then." Lisbon grinned. Jane slowly got from the booth seat and Lisbon waited closing her eyes. Jane and Lisbon's lips touched in that instant with the kiss growing stronger each moment. They finally broke the kiss.

"I guess this made my decision to stay." Lisbon noted smiling.

 **I found Lisbon to be extremely unlikable in this episode as she was very snippy and rude to Jane the in the episode and he did nothing wrong. I don't know about anyone else, it seemed like when she started dating Pike she became extremely mean. I like to connect Pike to fishing for some reason. After all Pike is a name of a fish.**

 **Feedback is Appreciated.**


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